The Popular Type Of Container You Should Leave At Home When Camping

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The key to a successful camping trip comes down to careful planning and meticulous packing. The trick to knowing what to pack is just as vital as knowing what not to pack. It can all seem a little daunting. You want to camp at breathtaking places, plan daily activities, bring season-appropriate clothing, pack your tents and sleeping bags, grab cooking utensils, and, of course, the food you want to cook — which you'll likely pack in containers. Ideally, you're choosing something that can hold up in the wild, but you may want to think twice about using glass.

It's critical to know the correct way to store food while camping. Some folks like to bring along plastic containers to campsites and for good reason: they're inexpensive, lightweight, and often see-through, which reveals the contents at a glance. On the other hand, though, plastic can leach potentially harmful chemicals into your food, in addition to negatively impacting the environment. This is especially the case with the single-use kind of plastic, which is often thrown away or worse, left lying around, cluttering up the beautiful nature you're there to enjoy.

As a result, many eco-friendly campers have turned to glass or ceramic containers as an alternative. Like the plastic containers, these dishes are sometimes see-through helping you quickly identify your next meal. They also hold up well to heat, and it can be nice to have a small piece of home along with you when you're away. A little creature comfort. While glass containers are perfect for home use, the decision to bring them on a camping trip could cause more harm than good.

Packing a glass container in your backpack adds weight and increases the risk of breaking. If it breaks, you'll have food over everything as well as bits of dangerous glass shattered throughout your bag. Whatever was in the glass container is now riddled with glass shards and totally inedible. If you're camping far away from civilization and packed only enough food for your trip, you may be without a meal, causing you to either go hungry, which could dampen the fun, or cut your trip short.

Even when you're uber-careful, accidents happen. A dish could slip from your grip and shatter on the ground, creating a clean-up disaster. No matter how careful you are, animals or future campers may find glass bits the hard way long after you're gone. Left unchecked, clear glass containers could magnify sunlight, igniting dry leaves and causing a fire. As unlikely as it seems, it does happen. It's better to leave no trace.

Luckily, there are several excellent alternatives to glass and plastic containers. This stainless steel bento box by GreenLunch Bento is a great option. Silicon is another. You can find silicon bags or dishes, which are sometimes collapsible, saving invaluable space in your pack. Aluminum foil is great for wrapping food and cooking. Parchment paper is perfect for the same reasons. Plus, they're both often reusable and always recyclable. Now that you have the right containers, try camping recipes that aren't s'mores and hot dogs.